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2.21.2012

Many older Filipino women wear what is called a "duster". Psst, in the states we call them "muumuus". Dusters are long, shapeless, extremely colorful and pattern driven dresses to be worn in the house. Normally, I wouldn't be head over heels for these zany things but they are so vibrant and fun I can't help but wear them. Plus many of them are so crazy with patterns and loud colors that dusters kinda go with everything.

You know when something is so extreme that it goes with nothing and then seemingly everything at the same time? I love it.

These dusters are sold literally all over the country - you can get them virtually anywhere. And what's more, they're super cheap. So I bought 6. Its somewhat unusual for a girl of my age to be wearing them as I said before, dusters are really only seen on older women and house wear no less - but who cares? I'm not Filipino, I'm American so I'm oblivious to blasting the stereotype and shaking up the system. Remember the atrocity with Urban Outfitters and Forever21 using navajo prints on undies and flasks? Too far, too far I know but you know what I mean. I digress....

Anyway, I usually delight in shapeless wear (I live, eat and breath "drape") but these days, I have been getting a bit leaner so I thought it would be fun to hike up my hem and show my legs. Yeah baby.

I hid the extra material under my thick leather Zara belt to turn my long duster into a fun Summer dress.

Disappointed you couldn't see the real thing in its vibrant entirety? Don't worry I'll be showing you just how awesome and man-repelling this house dress can really be! Let's just say you shouldn't wear it if you share a bed with someone.

2.19.2012

As Theo and I took our evening stroll down the beach, we saw a cozy little lounge with pillows, candles and low chairs, perfect for watching the sunset while cradling a yummy rummy drink. As we were about to be seated, I thought of the perfect outfit to go with such a setting.

I hurried back to the hotel to change my shirt and grab the tripod.

Earlier while I was in Makati, I visited my first Zara store. I've always been intrigued by Zara - every fashion blog I've ever visited has touched on Zara at some point in time. And the clothing is just so darn chic - the designers are brilliant for implementing such cool ideas for Gap-like prices. While what I've seen of the clothing has only been online (Zara hasn't quite found Seattle yet), when I stepped into the Zara in Makati, Philippines I was BLOWN away. I spent probably, accumulatively 4-5 hours sifting through the entire inventory. Yikes!

And in that time, one of the items I left with was an asymmetrical sheer black skirt. And like Tiny Closet style, the only reason I found sense in buying it was because I could wear it both as a skirt and a top....which is what I did the first night I wore it.

The suede sandals are from Dolce Vita. Every pair of suede shoes I own (and I own more than one should of just suede shoes mind you) I credit Dolce Vita.

I have had these sandals for 3 years!!!

The Tiny Closet may be oh so tiny but it is not lacking. Longevity makes up for its small size. And also versatility!

One of my new year resolutions for my blog was to wear my jewelry! Just wear more jewelry in general. But shortly after February, everyone realizes that habits are just so darn hard to break. There there is a rhyme and reason to everything we do - and don't do. I will be focusing on this "jewelry complex" of mine later but to my credit, I do want to point out that the earrings above I bought from H&M 4 years ago and even though I wore them for the first time a couple days ago, I still wore them dammit! So that's a step forward right? And I intend to wear them again soon.

You see, I was just waiting for the perfect outfit, ya know? Are you buying that? Yeah, we'll talk about it later.

Oh and by the way, that gigantic drink gave me a splitting headache. I felt drunk and hungover at the same time for the rest of the night. And since my ensemble was cozy enough to sleep in, needless to say I did just that. Fail.

2.16.2012

Last night, the rain outside sounded like a dam opening. Not used to it.

It's been raining all week and will continue until the week is through. And this aint' Seattle drizzle-all-day-til-you-could-slit-your-wrists rain, this is torrential, biblical rain, okay people?! Wow. But since the locals are carrying on as usual, so will I.

Let's take some pictures, shall we?

What's amazing about storms here is the sky and the beach are both still so bright! Its raining and I still need my Raybans. Even though my face is much darker than normal, I can still wear my signature satin finish M.A.C. Red.

This linen dress I found at a dress hut and there are literally hundreds of these huts everywhere I have gone. My self control for Summer dresses is slowly deteriorating.

My head scarf is the end remnant of another white linen dress that I got from the same hut. When it comes to white linen, I'm like P Diddy - I have to wear it! My earrings from H&M are still kickin it. I really can wear them anywhere.

I hope you had a wonderful Valentines Day and spent it with the people you love. I had wanted to act out that famous lusty scene from the movie "From Here to Eternity" but thoughts of sandy salt water in my mouth and up my *ahem* made me skip it in the end.

2.12.2012

After climbing well over 423 stone steps in Batad, swimming in waterfalls and climbing through caves, we were surprisingly exhausted. To kick up our feet, we decided to get a villa in Sonya's Garden and pamper ourselves with massages, facials and amazing food.

The villa was breathtaking but after seeing my bed... I was surprised I went anywhere at all.

I wore a robe most of the time I was there. A choice between two silk robes were laid out for me before our arrival. I never wear robes but needless to say I made an exception as these robes were the most gorgeous I have ever seen...

And to make our stay even more magical that first night, I found on the side of the bed a book, "Romantic Tales of Arabian Nights". Theo read to me into the wee hours of the night and I fell asleep in my silk hand painted robe dreaming of far off Arabian love affairs.

Chandeliers hung everywhere, even in the surrounding gardens. As we left, I made myself a promise that I would find this fairytale place again someday.

Fashion is first an idea before it, shall we say "materializes" into clothing, yes?

I was so overwhelmed by the conceptual esthetic around me at Sonya's Garden that I just had to include it in my blog because the Tiny Closet is a concept as well, see.

Its an esthetic that I've created for myself to express my sense of fashion. And I love conceptual thinking because its so concentrated and streamlined and saturated! Its so extreme. So even though I don't wear florals or own a single doily or have chandeliers hanging in my garden, places like this one is what truly inspires my own concepts and in turn, my wardrobe.

2.10.2012

Well this AllSaints maxi is back and fitting into my new environment quite well.

I wore this drapey frock in December - jump over to my post, "Big News" to view more photos!

If you've been following me (thank you!!) you're probably getting the picture: my Tiny Closet has limited vacancies for clothing one can only wear a few times a year so for the most part....if I can't wear it all year long then I simply don't have the room!

Aaaaand something new!

I received some amazing news before I left for Asia:

Before Christmas, I entered a contest on www.Beso.com to win a $1000 wish list. What was so flippin' fabulous about this contest was you created the wish list!!! Best contest ever.

But maybe I'm just saying that because I won :)

The contest was to create to wish list and explain why you needed the items you chose. I jumped at the chance as I knew I'd be traveling in tropical weather for 3 month... and I like, totally needed like, clothes to wear and stuff. Of course I was much more eloquent and charming in my official plea explanation but come on, that was probably the jist of everyone's entry.

Beso.com is uhmazing. An online retail search engine of sorts similar to Shopstyle.com. After using the site though and playing with their addicting Wish List feature, my search for all things retail has narrowed to Beso for sure.

so

When I won my wish list and found that some of the items in the stores didn't have my size or were out of stock, I was instead offered $1000 to a retailer of my choice that Beso supported. I literally had hundreds of retail shops, brands and online retail stores to choose from. Ahhh!!!

I finally chose Yoox.com, which I will expand on later but since I left for Asia right after I won, I still have yet to use my certificate! So immediate shopping upon my return in the Spring is the plan. Guess I'll just have to survive on what I have for the next two months.

2.09.2012

After traveling for a month throughout the Philippines I am now on Boracay Island. I though I would be able to blog much sooner but I've been constantly on the go. I've been on Boracay for only 5 days and already I am getting the most impressive tan I've ever seen. No more blotchy Seattle skin for this girl. Look mom, no foundation!

I.love.harem.pants. I wish to fill my Tiny Closet with them over this new year. The older I get the more I am a sucker in the end for comfort. And harem pants have just enough drape and comfort for me to want to wear them 365 days out of the year.

I have been very tempted to buy buy buy all the bright, zany unique clothes I've seen from Manila to the mountain provinces to tourist-filled Borocay but being the minimalist that I am choosing clothes that make sense to me pretty much all year just works best for me. So as much as I'd love to buy that crocheted tunic made of hemp, since it doesn't work with anything I got - it doesn't work period.

I never wear hats but this little fedora, I couldn't take off my head. The shoes I found at Mall of Asia (the 3rd biggest mall in the world. I was there for 3 hours and never even left the 2nd floor...). They remind me of the south in the 20s with their little leather tail embellishments - beautiful for absolutely every season.

Before we were off to the next town, I grabbed up a very fresh white gauzy dress - no time to try it on. Eh, but when you know you know, ya know? Turns out, the dress worked even better as a shirt. I cut it and voila.

Day by day I'm settling into beach life. It's harder than I thought though! I'm a city girl and all I see now is miles and miles of beach and water. Its so hot out here, I can barely think about clothes let alone wear them. Oy! But while beachwear is certainly not my forte I am taking on this challenge with gusto and thinking outside my city-fall-weather box.